[DESIGNER VINYLS] Hot or Not?

moop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most definitely Gaiking. The horns are a dead
> giveaway. But the knee pads are another clue and
> the stylized face on the chest. The headcrest too.

FUCK YOU. Mecha Azteca is completely original and hip and edgy. Gaiking is a total ripoff of Aztec artistic and architectural motif and a cruel symbol of the oppression of Aztlan.

I like it, too. I really like the concepts that Elegab comes up with...but usually, I don't really dig the execution. Tunneran is one of the few where I found the execution to be "good enough" for me. This isn't too bad either.

But regardless of whether or not I buy his toys, I really like following what he's got cooking. His ideas are always intriguing to me, and I also like that he puts out all-new toys/sculpts at a consistent pace (a rarity in the designer vinyl world).

I saw the illustration of this months before the final Elegab product (like everyone else) and very skeptical it could be pulled off into something I would want to buy as a vinyl toy. I like Nari's work and own three Elegab toys but thought the toy would be way too busy. I wasn't into that Mr X character and though this might end up the same way. I do love when I prove myself wrong though, once I saw completed painted versions I didn't think twice about the B type version (pictured above) and purchased one. All three versions look good.

As always Elegab's selling method is the best in the business. Direct made to order sales (no lottery, no third parties or middlemen, no super limited hype). Just fair pricing with everyone getting a chance. He is super quick on the turnaround time also.

You know what would look cool? If they made mini versions of each character before being melded together.

liquidsky Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh, did anyone hear that Gargamel is closing their
> flagship store, Thrashout? and moving to some sort
> of online business model?
>
> Another sign that Designer Vinyl is shrinking?

I'm not a Gargamel fan or anything, but the TO store was kinda a big deal, wasn't it? That seems like it could be a pretty big blow, and I wonder if Gargamel's been doing worse than people realize...

I've been basically ignoring 'designer' vinyl that isn't standard-sized kaiju for a while now, but I recently learned about shark fin harvesting and made the connection with Koji Harmon's new figure, Sametan, and actually really like it:

Those Marmit super detailed figures blow me away every time I see them. I love to see the companies like Marmit and Restore that are really pushing what you can do with vinyl by bridging the garage kit and toy styles. Makes for a refreshing change of pace from the super cutesy or the intentionally super rough stuff. These are 'serious' figures, and the sculpt and paint both really reflect that. Of course, that seems to come at a premium price ;)

I also think Ben nailed it. And then later, so did JORDAN23:
"It's funny how all these threads that seemingly go from 0 to 30 pages in a short span follow the same patterns. It begins with curiosity....then to desire....to yearning.....to hoarding.....to bitterness.....to conflict.....to resolution.....back to bitterness.....to....to.....oh sorry, something new came out, gotta go."

That endless cycle is utterly fascinating to me.

Well...only because I'm obviously removing myself from it pretty much entirely...

First off. Yes, I bought 2 of them. I pre-ordered the 200$ package for a test pull, a custom paint and a shirt. I also received a gold glitter head as a special bonus.

So to state the obvious, I am a big big fan of Skinner. I love his stuff. He's the AD&D/ Lovecraft nerd in high school that gets to do what he wants and lives off his work. Incredible talent and work ethic.

Nut hugging complete!

So the figure. Ultrus Bog. I can't say I really like it. My biggest problem is that it looks like Siccaluna just cranked it out as fast as they could. It's missing a lot of the details that characterizes Skinner's style. It's a huge figure so there really is no justification for laziness.

The vinyl quality is also questionable. It's either very cheap or just crazy-weird thick. No squish at all. (Yes I took it apart to see for myself. The vinyl is not very thick.) And the waist doesn't fit very well due to a notch in the bottom half.

The custom paint is suitably hideous. They had to paint a ton of these, a few not so nice ones had to make it out there. And I have one. :P

Conclusion? If you're a hype monster, buy one. If not, it doesn't do the man justice. Pass.

The sketch its based on doesn't seem like something an artist put their heart and soul into so it seems unsurprising that the execution of the toy is lazy and disappointing. The toy looks pretty awful and the way its sculpted is totally not suited to that paint style. The whole thing seems like the result of a lot of poor decisions.

This is the monster it's supposed to be. Sure he didn't put any work into it?
[theartofskinner.com]
The sketches shown online aren't much more than concept ideas on execution. Doubtful those were sent to Siccaluna to work from, considering the original art is what is being used to advertise the figure and is used as card art and the art on the shirt. He probably did send in some art that is simplified but it's hard telling for sure unless he says so. In the end Siccaluna just made a crappy toy. Time to move on.

That doesn't mean the source material is particularly inspired or suited to production as a vinyl toy. You say Siccaluna made a crappy toy but I think the original art looked pretty "hip and edgy" (in other words crappy) to begin with.

I think we already addressed all of this...but I'll reiterate...because I love the sound of my own voice...

If someone proposed to give me that artwork--just that fucking artwork--from which to CAD-model a toy (my form of "sculpting"), I'd punch him in the fucking face...repeatedly...until my hand got numb.

I have nothing against Skinner (his artwork does nothing for me), but it's pretty clear he got what he deserved, as it were. You're right...time to move on. There are plenty more tragedies to get off on in the designer toy world these days... ;)

I dunno why Scopedog seems to have a bone to pick with Skinner, but Sanjeev pretty much nailed it. A dude who doesn't know enough about designing a figure worked with a dude who wasn't particularly suited to sculpting said figure, all organized by a dude who made for a really bizarre working process where nobody seemed to be on the same page. Suckers bought in sight-unseen, and some walked away disappointed. Can't really blame that on any one member of the collaboration.

Changing gears, here's a shot of the Grody Shogun table at SF57... the dude in front is the new sculpt, Ensorcelled Man. Curious to hear what other people think of it.

Prometheum5 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Changing gears, here's a shot of the Grody Shogun
> table at SF57... the dude in front is the new
> sculpt, Ensorcelled Man. Curious to hear what
> other people think of it.

When I see this, all I can think of is Zollmen Bobongo which has some negative connotations for some. Whereas the original Grodys had some "lo-fi" appeal (cheap, unpainted, mix and match), this seems more involved, wants to be more.

Can't make sense of the seemingly metal collar. Maybe these were also designed to be able to reuse the body parts in some way.

It's cool if people are into it, just not for me. I could see having a pile of the original Grodys, I couldn't imagine having a pile of these. I'd take the four pinks in that photo over this...

Looks like some plumber mascot from the 70's and that's being kind.....

I heard that Skinner Toy was originally suppose to be just a bust but Lulu forced the issue to have it come out as a toy. End result: big hot steaming pile of shit if you ask me. Nothing against Skinner but that artwork looks like it should have remained 2D. I think it was executed fine given the nature of the artwork.

I think I heard that same story about the Skinner toy. Eh. Whatever. If Josh digs it, that's cool. It wasn't meant to be a toy for me from the get-go, so it's tough for me to get too heated about it...

Anyway, Ensorcelled Man...maybe I'd let it slide as just a "stupid-looking toy I'd never buy"...IF it had come out *completely* in a vacuum. In other words, if there weren't already this shtick of racist, nationalistic, or otherwise "controversial art" toys, it might be like whatever to me. But the reality of designer vinyl hype incorporates Nag's "Fuck the USA", Zollmen's spear-chucker toy, the various cartoony depictions of indigenous/aboriginal peoples (as head-shrinkers or cannibals), and other off-color (heh) shit that seems to appeal to these middle-class white kids (i.e., the hipsters infecting that other board).

So in light of all that, fuck Ensorcelled Man.

ANYWAY...I've sorta noticed how this thread has sorta de-evolved into us bitching about bad designer vinyl (and that other board, in general). Not a complaint...just an observation. Maybe someone should try to show off and discuss something that doesn't suck. ;)

Not popular up here but I like it in a very simple empty way. Almost like stained glass. Definitely don't need it. Definitely phoned in by Gargamel. Trying to time it when I can get one for half off. If that never happens, whatever...

I went for the bunnies. Didn't notice there were two different sculpts until they arrived. Articulation at the neck was a nice little surprise. Kind of a peaceful little toy among all of the toys with attitude and such.